Henrico residents seek sidewalk along Forest Avenue

For decades, residents of University Heights, Westham, Spottswood Park and several other neighborhoods have cautiously walked a makeshift path along Forest Avenue to get to school and other nearby locales.

But after some close calls with traffic -- 10,000 cars per day travel the stretch of road between Patterson Avenue and Ridge Road -- some believe it's time for Henrico County to build a proper sidewalk.

"I go to Tuckahoe [Elementary] and Kanawha [Recreation Association]," said Caroline Lugar, 11. "I think with a sidewalk it will be safer. When I walk, my dad gets really scared."

Caroline and about a dozen others were standing in the rain several nights ago, holding signs asking motorists to honk if they supported the sidewalk initiative. Most did.

About 150 people attended a meeting last week at Tuckahoe Elementary, most to voice support for some kind of walking and/or bicycle path.

But it's not as easy as it seems.

Patricia S. O'Bannon, Tuckahoe District representative on the county's Board of Supervisors, said sidewalk funding is not included in the county's budget. Instead, it would come from a reserve fund -- which could be nonexistent this year, given the current economic crisis.

Timothy A. Foster, the county's director of public works, said building an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant sidewalk or shared-use path on the east side of Forest from Patterson to the school could cost as much as $2 million. It also would mean moving several utility poles, at least one fire hydrant and taking down numerous trees at a cost of $3,000 to $10,000 each. The project would have to include drainage and grading.

Also, it would mean getting homeowners to agree to tear up yards and landscaping.

O'Bannon said the county's conceptual plans, showing options for a 5-foot-wide sidewalk or 10-foot-wide shared-use path, are just that -- conceptual.

Junior Girl Scout Troop 378 at Tuckahoe Elementary took up the cause this year. "We were working on our community-service badge, and one task was to learn about the community around you," said leader Mary Kate Skeppstrom. "We talked about wanting a sidewalk. We had to think about what to do to make our voices heard."

O'Bannon heard the voices, along with those of numerous other area residents.

"I think it's a good idea and it's great," O'Bannon said. "But I have to be cautious. Money is tight, and I've gotten quite a few calls and e-mails from people concerned about cost."

Contact Lisa Crutchfield at (804) 649-6362 or .